latfder



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) .0

- J.IN. LAUDER. v SAFETY STOP FOR LOCOMOTIVES. No. 500,010. P00011000July 4, 1003.

Fig-1.

(No' Model.) 2 shet's sheet 2; J. N. LAUDER.

SAFETY STOP FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

No. 500,810. Patented July 4, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrion.

JAMES N. LAUDER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOCHARLES W. SHERBURNE, OF SAME PLACE.

SAFETY-STOP FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming" part Of Letters Patent No. 500,810, dated July 4,1893.

Application filed January 3, 1893. Serial No. 457.068. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES N. LAUDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, in the State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSafety-Stops for Locomotives, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

To suddenly stop a train equipped with an automatic or air-brake it hasbeen common for the engineer to immediately apply the brakes to theirfullest power by the full movement of the brake lever which controls thebraking mechanism, and to instantly follow this act by the throwing ofthe lever of the reversing mechanism of the locomotive to a reversingposition. It has been found, however, that when automatic brakes areapplied to the driving wheels of a locomotive it is not then desirablethat the engine be reversed to assist in the quick stopping of thetrain, as the act of reversing the engine following the full applicationof the brakes does not tend to hasten the checking of the train, but 011the contrary interferes to an appreciable extent with the proper actionof the brake upon the driving wheels of the locomotive, in that it isapt to check the turning of the wheels, and to cause them to slip uponthe rails, a very undesirable thing to have occur when it is essentialthat a train be stopped in the shortest time possible. Instructions tothe engineer that the engine be not reversed, when an emergency requiresthe most rapid application of the brakes and stopping of the train, havevery little if any effect, because it has always been the custom orhabit of the engineer to so reverse, and in atime of emergency he ismore than likely to do things from force of habit than from reason, orto follow new instructions. To automatically prevent this reversingaction at such times is the object of my invention, and this isaccomplished by arranging a stop or detent near the line or path ofmovement of the reversing lever, which is caused to be actuatedautomatically by the movement of the lever or device used in setting thebrakes. There are many ways,

of course, by which this result can be obtained, and I haveshown in thedrawings one of them; but I would not be understood as confining myselfto any particular means.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in elevation of theoperating parts or devices of a locomotive immediately in front of anengineer and in his control. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of aportion of these devices. Fig. 3 relates to a specific means forcarrying my invention into effect, to which reference will behereinafter made.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the brake valve of the ordinaryWVestinghouse system. a is its operating lever.

B represents the valve reversing lever of the engine.

0 is a stop or detent, which is movable across the line of movement ofthe reversing lever, and which forms a stop when moved into said line ofmovement, beyond which the lever cannot be thrown. I have representedthis stop as automatically actuated by the expansion of air inthe pistonchamber 0, the air being admitted to the said piston chamber by theopening of a valve at c, operated by the movement of the brake valvelever against it. The cylinder 0 forming the piston chamber is locatedat one side of the segment looking rack of the reversing lever, and thestop 0, which is an extension of the piston rod, is

adapted to be closed into the hole 0 in the rack bar opposite to the oneholding the cylinder. The air expanding in the cylinder acts against thepiston and forces the stop away from the cylinder and across the path ofthe reversing lever; and it is held in such path so long as there is airpressure in the cylinder. Upon the release of the air pressure aspringc, surroundingthe piston rod contained in the piston chamber andbearing against the piston, serves to return the piston to its normalposition, and removes the stop from the path of the reversing lever.

In the usual application of a train brake the brake valve lever isslowly and gradually moved from running position to abraking position;but the lever is not then ordinarily moved to what may be called theemergency position-that is, away back to fully open the valveand whilethe valve 0, which is actuated by said lever, may be placed in anydesired relation to it, so as to be operated at any suitable position orplace, I prefer that it be located so that it shall be operated onlywhen the lever is moved to the emergency position. Any suitable form ofvalve may be used, and the valve is located in a pipe leading from thepressure air reservoir to the piston chamber of the cylinder (1.

The valve which I have shown is of simple construction and comprises avalve stem (1, having a valve (1' which shuts upon a seat 61 The valvestem extends from the valve easing into the path of the brake valvelever, and upon the pushing inward of the valve stem the valve is liftedfrom its seat into the valve chamber, and a passage about it is thusprovided through which the air passes to the piston chamber 0.

Aspring may be used to automatically close the valve upon the movementof the brake valve lever from contact with the end of the valve spindle,although this is not essential.

Instead of employing an air pressure for actuating the stop, the stopmay be actuated by a spring acting against the piston to force the stopinto position, the spring being held normally com pressed by compressedair in the piston chamber acting against the piston, and upon therelease of the compressed air by the operation of the valve, the springthrows the stop into place. Or a vacuum may be formed in the pistonchamber to throw the piston toward the rack and the stop into operativeposition.

I do not confine myself to this air system, 35 whether carried intoeffect as above stated, or whether employed as a vaccum system; nor do Iconfine myself to any especial form of connecting mechanism, as thereare many mechanical ways by which the stop canbe actuated by themovement of the brake valve lever, and I do not herein claim so much theespecial mechanism by which I carry my invention into effect as thebroad feature of the automatic operation of the stop from the brakelever by intermediate actuating devices.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination of a reversinglever, a reversing lever stop, the brake valve lever or actuatingdevices, and an intermediate stopsetting mechanism adapted to beactuated by the brake valve lever or device when the lever is moved to agiven position, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the reversing lever, a piston chamber and pistontherein, a stop actuated by the piston to be moved across the line ofmovement of the lGV6l',Zt pipe connecting the piston chamber with an airreservoir, and a valve in said pipe adapted to be actuated by the leverof the brake valve, as and for the purposes described.

JAMES N. LAUDER.

Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, J. M. DOLAN.

